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ting presence of the mordicant。 there were scores of them； ing out of the corridor； carrying heavily laden leather buckets or lengths of timber； taking them across the ledge and down the steps to the river。
then they filed back again； buckets empty； timber left behind。
sabriel depressed the telescope a little； and almost growled in exasperation and anger as she saw the scene by the river。 more living slaves were hammering long boxes together from the timber； and these boxes were being filled with earth from the buckets。 as each box was filled； it was pushed out to bridge the gap from shore to stepping…stone and locked in place by slaves hammering iron spikes into the stone。
this particular part of the operation was being directed by something that lurked well back from the river； halfway up the steps。 a manshaped blot of blackest night； a moving silhouette。
a necromancer鈥檚 shadow hand； or some free…willed dead spirit that scorned the use of a body。
as sabriel watched； the last of four boxes was thrust out to the first stepping…stone； spiked in place； and then chained to its three adjacent fellows。 one slave； fastening the chain； overbalanced and went headfirst into the water； his shackle…mate following a second later。 their screams； if any； were drowned by the roar of the waterfall as its waters took their bodies。 a few seconds later； sabriel felt their lives snuffed out。
the other slaves at the river鈥檚 edge stopped working for a moment； either shocked at the sudden loss； or momentarily made more afraid of the river than their masters。 but the shadow hand on the steps moved towards them； its legs like treacle； pouring down the slope； lapping over each step in turn。 it gestured for some of the nearer slaves to walk across the earth…filled boxes to the stepping…stone。 they did so； to cluster unhappily amid the spray。
the shadow hand hesitated then； but the mordicant on the ledge above seemed to stir and rock forward a little； so the shadowy abomination gingerly trod on the boxes鈥攁nd walked across to the stepping…stone； taking no scathe from the running water。
鈥済rave dirt；鈥潯ented mogget； who obviously didn鈥檛 need the telescope。 鈥渃arted up by the villagers from qyrre and roble鈥檚 town。 i wonder if they鈥檝e got enough to cross all the stones。鈥�
鈥済rave dirt；鈥潯ented sabriel bleakly； watching a fresh round of slaves arriving with buckets and more timber。 鈥渋 had forgotten it could negate the running water。 i thought 。 。 。 i thought i would be safe here； for a time。鈥�
鈥渨ell； you are；鈥潯aid mogget。 鈥渋t鈥檒l take at least until tomorrow evening before their bridge is plete； particularly allowing for a couple of hours off around noon； when the dead will have to hide if it isn鈥檛 overcast。 but this shows planning； and that means a leader。 still； every abhorsen has enemies。 it may just be a petty necromancer with a better brain for strategy than most。鈥�
鈥渋 slew a dead thing at cloven crest；鈥潯abriel said slowly； thinking aloud。 鈥渋t said it would have its revenge and spoke of telling the servants of kerrigor。 do you know that name？鈥�
鈥渋 know it；鈥潯pat mogget； tail quivering straight out behind him。 鈥渂ut i cannot speak of it； except to say it is one of the greater dead； and your father鈥檚 most terrible enemy。 do not say it lives again！鈥�
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know；鈥潯eplied sabriel； looking down at the cat； whose body seemed twisted； as if in turmoil between mand and resistance。
鈥渨hy can鈥檛 you tell me more？ the binding？鈥�
鈥渁 。 。 。 a perversion of 。 。 。 the g 。 。 。 g 。 。 。 yes；鈥�
mogget croaked out with effort。 though his green eyes seemed to grow luminous and fiery with anger at his own feeble explanation； he could say no more。
鈥渃oils within coils；鈥潯emarked sabriel thoughtfully。 there seemed little doubt that some evil power was working against her； from the moment she鈥檇 crossed the wall鈥攐r even before that； if her father鈥檚 disappearance was anything to go by。
she looked back through the telescope again and took some heart in the slowing of the work as the last light faded； though at the same time she felt a pang of sympathy for the poor people the dead had enslaved。 many would probably freeze to death； or die of exhaustion； only to be brought back as dull…witted hands。 only those who went over the waterfall would escape that fate。 truly； the old kingdom was a terrible place； when even death did not mean an end to slavery and despair。
鈥渋s there another way out？鈥潯he asked； swivelling the telescope around degrees to look at the northern bank。 there were stepping…stones going there； too； and another door high on the riverbank； but there were also dark shapes clustered on the ledge by the door。 four or five shadow hands； too many for sabriel to fight through alone。
鈥渋t seems not；鈥潯he answered herself grimly。
鈥渨hat of defenses； then？ can the sendings fight？鈥�
鈥渢he sendings don鈥檛 need to fight；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渇or there is another defense； though it is a rather constrictive one。 and there is one other way out； though you probably won鈥檛 like it。鈥�
the sending next to her nodded and pantomimed something with its arm that looked like a snake wiggling through grass。
鈥渨hat鈥檚 that？鈥潯sked sabriel； fighting back a sudden urge to break into hysterical laughter。
鈥渢he defense or the way out？鈥�
鈥渢he defense；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渢he river itself。 it can be invoked to rise almost to the height of the island walls鈥攆our times your height above the stepping…stones。 nothing can pass such a flood； in or out； till it subsides； in a matter of weeks。鈥�
鈥渟o how would i get out？鈥潯sked sabriel。 鈥渋 can鈥檛 wait weeks！鈥�
鈥渙ne of your ancestors built a flying device。 a paperwing； she called it。 you can use that； launched out over the waterfall。鈥�
鈥渙h；鈥潯aid sabriel； in a little voice。
鈥渋f you do wish to raise the river；鈥潯ogget continued； as if he hadn鈥檛 noticed sabriel鈥檚 sudden silence； 鈥渢hen we must begin the ritual immediately。 the flood es from meltwater and the mountains are many leagues upstream。 if we call the waters now； the flood will be on us by